"Touring the Occupy Wall Street scene in New York with a sign that read "I Am the 1%, Let's Talk," Schiff spent more than three hours on the scene, explaining the difference between cronyism and capitalism, bailouts and balance sheets, and more."

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

A: Act. The genesis of saving and creating money begins with the word. Think about your values, goals, and standard of living. Write them out. Then act. A change in behavior will bring a change in attitude and takes place over a few weeks.

B: Be healthy and well with diet and hygiene. This will bring long term savings.

C: Cut open products. See that toothpaste tube? That shampoo bottle? That motor oil? You will be amazed at how much you will find at the bottom of these products.

D: Do-it-Yourself. Tasks such as replacing a car filter, mowing the lawn, washing your car, and building a simple furniture piece is well within your skills.

H: Hold off on upgrading electronics, cars, and gadgets. Take enjoyment in the feeling of saving and investing, rather than a momentary high from a product that will be out of date tomorrow. A previously owned car with a good warranty from the manufacturer’s dealership may be best for you. Minimalism is good.

I: Insulate. You can start small by purchasing electrical outlet and switch sealers and install them yourself. Attic, ceiling, wall, and basement insulation is something you may wish to leave to professionals.

J: Just say no...delay gratification. The more you exercise this muscle the closer you get to your aim, and the better you will feel. Hold off on that vacation, car, home, or computer and you could possibly get a better one later.

K: Keep a grocery list in your car, on your phone, or in a quick kitchen file to take to the store. Grocery lists keep us on budget, with the aid of coupons for items that we actually need and are good for us, as well as comparing unit prices. Look for coupons in the mail, newspapers, online, and store websites. Also, purchase store brands that are of equal or better taste, nutrition, and quality.

L: Library. Check out books at the library and search for free books online, rather than buying new books. Waiting to see movies on TV is a smart use of money too. This may be a good time to readjust your cable or satellite package too.

M: Make your own lunch for work or school. Save time and prepare lunches in advance that can be frozen until use.

N: No cell phones for kids. Yes, you will have to be the uncool parent. At least you will be parenting instead of being your child’s personal Santa. Your child’s teacher will thank you too. A cell phone is not a need, children did not have them for most of history.

O: Off-season. Plan trips and vacations right before and right after peak travel times. Check with well seasoned travelers, reliable websites, and travel agents to verify good travel times. This is especially true if your plans include spending all or most of your time indoors.

P: Plan your burial services now. Yes, this is not something many of us like to think about. If we put life into perspective and plan now, we can save money and alleviate this stress from our loved ones.

Q: Quality does matter. Buy clothing and shoe items of quality. Inexpensive clothing and shoes will wear faster, pill, and fade faster. It is better to have fewer, nicer clothes than to have clothes that need replacing every year.

R: Repairs and remodeling. Hire contractors off season, tree trimmers, roofers, and repair services. Respect the work of a true professional. Attempting to hire someone that gives a lower estimate may cost you more in the end.

S: Seasonal foods. Seasonal produce is usually less expensive. Check the organic sections of your market, often times sales on organics beat the price of non-organics.

T: Type documents using Century Gothic 10 and print documents in draft mode. These two steps will save a lot of ink and paper. This is a good tip at home, work, and at school.

U: Unplug devices and machines that are not in frequent use and turn off lights when leaving a room.

V: Virtual payments. Make pretend payments to see if can live with loan payments for a house.

W: Wash and dry all can tops from the grocery store at the same time. This will help cut down on your water and heating, as well as save you time.

X: Xerox or print duplicates of self-made gift, get well, and holiday cards. Making your own gifts with a personalized card can mean a lot to someone.

Y: Yield to good road sense. Of course you know driving the speed limit, rather than speeding will save you money. It also makes good road sense to write a monthly reminder to yourself to check the air pressure of your car’s tires. Properly inflated tires will help with gas mileage. While checking the air pressure inspect those tires for wear and tear. Leaving an untouchable amount in your bank account for only auto repairs and maintenance is invaluable. *A special note from all those that drive the speed limit to all those that drive too slow and hold up traffic: it’s not polite. Riding that brake only eats up money. A slow and safe slow down or turn without braking or minimal braking helps save money in lots of ways too.

Z: Zip through ironing on Sundays. This avoids having to heat up the iron several times a week. Begin each week by ironing your own clothes for the week. Properly ironed clothes will remain unwrinkled if hung up. Use the dry cleaners sparingly, read clothing labels to see if items really need to be taken to a cleaners. George Jefferson may not appreciate it, your wallet will.

There are many ways to be wise and show respect for the power of money. Below you will find a few more tips from other Etsy Organic Team members like me. Please share these tips and post some more of your own below.

rebourne (http://www.etsy.com/people/rebourne): “Plan meals out once a week, using a free service like allrecipes.com. It generates your shopping list. Put your other weekly needs, like coffee and creamer and milk and bread, on your list. They will stay on your list along side your new recipes for the week. This helps minimize wasted food, time and money, and can help you stay within your food budget. Of course you can always use other recipes, just manually add the ingredients to your online shopping list. The shopping list can be emailed or viewed on your phone, and you can check off items as you add them to your cart."

TwoSweetPotatoes (http://www.etsy.com/people/TwoSweetPotatoes): “Freeze homemade leftovers in individual Pyrex containers. You'll be less likely to grab quick fixes, which cost more and are less healthy and not as tasty than what you're making at home. If you've used your stash of recycled gift bags you can always create your own by sewing them out of upcycled materials. Old flannel shirts and sheets would work great for Christmas-theme.”

Karyn (http://www.etsy.com/people/LLFarm): “Here I bake our own breads and treats, the further away from packaging the better. Food is better for you the less it has been processed. Put your money into basic pantry supplies, flour, sugar, salt...Buy a good cookbook and use it. Stay away from the center isles of the grocery and try to shop just in the outside isles, this is where the natural unprocessed foods are.”

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

ASCII art is a creative use of keyboard characters and imagination. American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) is the standard ordering of computer characters. Get creative and post the pictures you create below.

Jack-o'-lantern:

also jack-o-lantern, 1660s, a local name for a will-o-the-wisp (L. ignis fatuus), mainly attested in East Anglia, also in southwestern England. The extension to carved pumpkins is attested by 1834, Amer.Eng.

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Spider:

O.E. spiþra, from P.Gmc. *spenthro (cf. Dan. spinder), from *spenwanan "to spin" (see spin). The connection with the root is more transparent in other Germanic cognates (cf. M.L.G., M.Du., M.H.G., Ger. spinne, Du. spin "spider"). In literature, often a figure of cunning, skill, and industry as well as poisonous predation. As the name for a type of two-pack solitaire, it is attested from 1890. Another O.E. word for the creature was gangewifre "a weaver as he goes," and M.E. also had araine "spider" (14c.-15c., from French). Spider plant is from 1852; spider crab is from 1710; spider monkey is from 1764, so called for its long limbs.

1734, from Fr. vampire or Ger. Vampir (1732, in an account of Hungarian vampires), from Hung. vampir, from O.C.S. opiri (cf. Serb. vampir, Bulg. vapir, Ukrainian uper), said by Slavic linguist Franc Miklošič to be ultimtely from Kazan Tatar ubyr "witch," but Max Vasmer, an expert in this linguistic area, finds that phonetically doubtful. An Eastern European creature popularized in English by late 19c. gothic novels, however there are scattered English accounts of night-walking, blood-gorged, plague-spreading undead corpses from as far back as 1196. Applied 1774 by French biologist Buffon to a species of South American blood-sucking bat.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

"There are 150 million children who live and work on the streets of our world (for more information about street children check untilthen.org). Many of them use inhalants to dull their hunger and ease the pain of their difficult lives. The adhesives industry can add a nasal irritant to their adhesives formula which would prevent children from inhaling their products. This simple formula change would save millions of lives while not changing the efficacy of their products."

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

I love an Oreo (one a year), life is too short though to eat this as my staple cookie.

Pointe Viven offers artisanal morsels made with high standards. Quality, respect for local, fresh, and organic ingredients is the recipe for success. Artisanal goods are lightly sweetened, not overly sugared, using natural ingredients. These baked goods are thoughtfully created. I share a passion with clients for fresh, small-batches, and excellent taste.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Hollywood sometimes does not have a heart. Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi is believed to have ordered the December 21, 1988, bombing of a real life Pan Am airliner. Twenty-three years later Gadhafi was killed by rebels in Libya. During his rule "purification laws" were implemented that ordered amputation of body limbs as punishment. He, his family, and other elites controlled the economy, Libyan natural resources, and companies. Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the only person ever convicted in connection with the 1988 bombing of the plane over Lockerbie, Scotland died in 2012 at his home in Tripoli, Libya.

The importance of understanding history and humanity is revealed when it is not in put into practice. Hollywood stars from Mickey Rourke, Eva Amurri, Forest Whitaker, Adrien Brody, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Usher have all been on the Gadhafi payroll for movies and private singing events. When students ask as to why history is important the story of Gadhafi helps to illustrate the reason. For the post-modernists the Hollywood connection does not matter. When the haze and daze of post-modern think is lifted maybe consumers will think before they buy their next movie or song.

Jonathan White

There were many on board Pan Am 103 in 1988, among those an American named Jonathan White. He was the son of actor David White, perhaps best known for his roll on Bewitched.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

You may remember Sharone from MasterChef with Gordon Ramsey. Sharone taught us his recipe for Pumpkin Ravioli and Pepper Pocket Chile. He smartly used the fresh sage and Italian parsley from the garden.

hak's bbq sauce

Pointe Viven - Jesse Bluma. All rights reserved.

Sharone was nice enough to sign a bottle of his bar-be-que sauce for me, made in a bourbon style flask. I told him I would give it a taste test.

The sauce is made in small batches, which is a great way to ensure quality. hak's bbq sauce is made with apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, molasses, brown sugar, onion, garlic, salt, spices, ground dried chili peppers, mustard flour, black pepper, natural flavors, and soybean oil. The sauce has a full flavor and you can taste the roasted ingredients. Sharone created something that has gourmet appeal with smooth earthy flavor. How can you go wrong with a splash of bourbon? Spice lovers will enjoy, if you are not huge on spice use a small dab on your favorite steak sandwich, veggie burger, or use as a dip for pizza.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Looking for that new Sunday breakfast before church? Eating the same meal every week is not ensuring we live to our best potential and take advantage of all the fun food can be for kids and kids at heart. Liberate your diet with a plate full of happy. Make my Healthy Happy Faces for your next breakfast.

Remove spaghetti from box and add to water. (You may wish to strongly fold the spaghetti box in half to break the spaghetti in half before adding to water--it’s your food...the spaghetti police won’t find you)

Follow the directions on the box for cooking time (I typically cook spaghetti for 1 to 2 minutes less than the box directions state)

Place a large strainer in the sink before the spaghetti is finished cooking.

At the end of cooking time carefully pour the spaghetti into the stainer. (I typically turn on the faucet water to cold, next to...not in the strainer. In my mind it helps the pipes.)

Flatten the balls with the palm of your hand into 4” diameter circles.

Carefully cut round shapes out of each circle, leaving inner negative space of about 3”.

(Let the kids join in to help, participation gets a lot of children to eat a larger variety of foods)

Coat frying pan with cooking spray.

Heat frying pan to medium heat.

Place two Gimme Lean circles into the pan, remember to only do so after the pan is pre-heated.

Cook the circles for 5 minutes on one side.

Turn each circle over in the pan to cook the opposite sides.

Then cook for 2 1/2 minutes.

Crack one egg for each eye, placing into the negative space of each circle.

Continue cooking for 2 1/2 minutes. (Stove tops differ and can be temperamental. You may wish to have your oven on broil to cook the tops of the egg eyes in case they don’t seem to be cooking all the way through on the stove. A few seconds under a broiler may be necessary.)

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Overindulgent, delicious, and refreshing cookies with a scoop of ice cream and a spoonful of strawberry coulis. Order several dozen for your next party, event, or celebration. Made with organic flour and quality ingredients, including chocolate chips, brown sugar, and crushed walnuts.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Casey Stoner has clinched the 2011 MotoGP World Championship title 2011

If you like motorcycles, then G A S may be the label for you. G A S is the fashion house for Honda riders. It is a brand that I have liked for a long time, although the brand was not sold in the U.S. for a long time. I tracked down a small store in the U.K. that was willing to sell oversees. Now G A S is finally open to shoppers in the U.S. and more countries around the world. They offer clothes for men, women, and children.

"THE COMPANY WAS STARTED IN THE EARLY 1970S IN CHIUPPANO NEAR VICENZA IN THE HEART OF NORTHEAST ITALY AS A RESULT OF THE PASSION AND CREATIVITY OF CLAUDIO GROTTO.

Since 1984 Grotto Spa has designed, manufactured and distributed a total look of high-quality denim apparel for men and women under the GAS label. GAS is a premium jeanswear brand with an international feel fueled by the idea of fashionable - yet functional and practical - clothes for intelligent, discerning and cosmopolitan people who look to clothing to express their own personality for every occasion.

GAS is also with everyone that has a dream, an objective and fight every day to attain it. This is why it has always been involved to the world of sport as it shares the fundamental values of optimism, passion, dynamism, determination and the ability to push one’s limits to be the best. Since ’98 an important partnership ties GAS with the largest motorcycle maker in the world as the brand is one of the main sponsors of the Repsol Honda team for the MotoGP World Championship."

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Don't be scared of anything, especially of the word coulis (koo-LEE). It is simply the French word for a thick sauce. This recipe is bright in flavor and ideal for drizzling over ice cream, angel food cake, cookies , or used as a dip for a mixed bowl of fresh fruit.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

Funny! This video is good for a laugh after a challenging day. Betty White's rapping partner is Luciana Caporaso. Luciana is from London, England and paired up with Betty for this commercial/rap. In addition to Betty White, Luciana has partnered with Tiesto and Deadmau5.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

The school I work at is collecting canned food items to donate to Second Harvest.

"Your generous contribution of food, funds and time supports the many programs of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. These programs benefit over 220,000 individuals each month at food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, after-school programs, senior citizen centers and other non-profit organizations dedicated to helping those in need. Our partner organizations and our programs allow us to distribute 1.4 million pounds of food each month."

What:Canned food only (please consider nutritional value)

When:

October 10-21, 2011

Where:

Serrano Intermediate School

24642 Jeronimo Rd

Lake Forest, CA 92630

Office Hours: 7:45 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.

Please label donations: c/o Mr. Bluma

Thank you for your support. Please feel free to share on facebook or tweet on Twitter.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

"The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of JIM.

Katherine Cathey was expecting a phone call from her husband, Marine 2nd. Lt. Jim Cathey, so she could tell him if their baby would be a boy or a girl. Instead, she got a knock at the door -- the knock every military family dreads. When his body finally arrived at the airport in the Marine's hometown of Reno, Katherine never wanted to leave his side. 'You take for granted the last night you spend with them,' she said. 'I think I took it for granted. This was the last night I'll have to sleep next to him.' She said about her all night vigil by Jim's casket the night before his burial. Major Steve Beck prepares for the final inspection of 2nd Lt. James J. Cathey's body, only days after notifying Cathey's wife of the Marine's death in Iraq.

At the first sight of her husband's flag-draped casket, Katherine Cathey broke into uncontrollable sobs, finding support in the arms of Major Steve Beck. When Beck first knocked on her door in Brighton to notify her of her husband's death, she glared at him, cursed him, and refused to speak to him for more than an hour. Over the next several days, he helped guide her through the grief. By the time they reached the tarmac, she wouldn't let go.

The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. 'I think it would be kind of nice if you kept doing it,' she said. 'I think that's what he would have wanted.'"

I discovered these photos at Pictures of the Year. The competition is an international contest of photo submissions. Photos of the Year is a program of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute. More of this collection can be found at this link.

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.

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Jesse Bluma at PointeViven

Jesse Bluma at Point Viven liberates taste in cookery, culture, and community, provides gourmet goods made with organic ingredients, inspired by the culinary worlds of California, Central, and South America, and engages in a community of customers and readers with lifestyle content, reviews, and expertise. Use and redistribution of original content allowed only with explicit permission of site owner and author.